


not while I`m around

by superwholockedramallama



Series: raising Gavroche. [1]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, mentions of child abuse, modern day AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2016-06-19
Packaged: 2018-07-16 02:16:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7248103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/superwholockedramallama/pseuds/superwholockedramallama
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the Thernadier parents find out that Gavroche had a boyfriend, they beat him and kick him out. The only thing a distraught and hurting Gavroche can think to do is get himself to his sister`s flat. That is why Combeferre and Courfreyac are awoken by a phone call from a furious Eponine at what the clock proudly proclaims is 3:35 AM.<br/>*now tweaked to improve spelling and all of that other wonderful stuff*</p>
            </blockquote>





	not while I`m around

Combeferre`s phone wakes the pair of them with it`s ringing at what feels like too-early-o`clock. Courfeyrac, who always had been and probably always would a light sleeper is also awoken by the ringing and looks at the clock on his bed. Ahhh, 3:35 AM, his favourite time of day for a phone call. It`s only then the words coming from his boyfriend`s mouth register and his sleepiness dissipates as quickly as if he`d been awoken by a refreshing dunk in a river filled with ice cubes. He can hear the well known sounds of what he lovingly yet jokingly thought of as his boyfriend`s doctor voice trying to get someone on the other end of the phone to calm down. 

"I know you`re angry, I am too, but being angry isn`t going to help Gavroche right now...we`ll be over in about twenty minutes." 

The words set his mind alight with worry. Gavroche was like a brother to him, and thoughts of the young boy getting hurt, or worse, during a night time wandering (which all members of their freindship group/family knew he was fond of) had his ass out of that bed and into the tracksuit trousers and t-shirt he`d been wearing the previous day before Combeferre even had the opportunity to realise he`d been moving. He watched as Combferre did the same, dressing quickly and not even looking around their tiny flat as they hastily made their way to the door, grabbing their keys and locking the door on their way out. It was a tense drive, with Combeferre driving above the speed limit, the lack of night time traffic in Paris allowing him to get to Eponine`s flat well under their twenty minute promise. They took the stairs two at a time, worried about what they`d find. 

Being greeted by Enjolras, the well known flame of anger and passion burning in his eyes was not comforting in the slightest. It meant that whatever had happened to Gavroche had upset the teenager enough that Eponine hadn`t wanted to leave him. They greet their stoic leader with polite nods, so different from their usual jovial greetings and follow him into the flat. What they see sets Courfeyrac`s blood boiling. 

Gavroche is sat on the ratty couch, his too skinny frame hunched over trying to stop a nose bleed. Courfeyrac can see bruises littering his arms and when Gavroche looks up at him and Combeferre, the bruises on his face and the unshed tears in his eyes made his heart pound with anger, knowing exactly who had done this to the boy he considered a brother, and with sadness that a boy as kind hearted and happy as Gavroche had to experience things like this.

Combeferre immediately went into doctor mode and told Gavroche to keep a hold of his nose a he checked over the bruises, also running his hands down the side of the too skinny boy`s ribs, making him wince, gasp and pull away. It was all over soon though and he squatted in front of Gavroche, telling him 

"I don`t think you`ve broken anything but those ribs are gonna hurt for a few days so it`d be best if you took paracetamol regularly and avoided doing too much activity." By the time Combeferre had finished his advice, Courfeyrac had moved to the small couch, sitting to Gavroche`s right so he was sandwiched between him and Eponine. He made eye contact with Eponine, seeing the fury in her brown eyes. He let decided to let her be the one to instigate conversation about this and settled for opening his left arm as an invitation for the youth to lean into for comfort. He already had Eponine`s arms around him but settled for moving so his head was on Courfeyrac`s lap and he was holding Eponine`s hand as if it was all that was keeping him from tethered to earth. She was rubbing smoothing circles onto his hand with her thumb. It hurt something deep within all of them present to see the usually cheeky, cheerful and confident boy so small-seeming. They all knew he was twelve years old, but rarely did he look as vulnerable and young as he did at this moment. Finally, Eponine spoke, her gentle voice not giving away the storm of emotions raging in her eyes.

"Gav, what happened?"

The boy looked at her, raising his eyebrow as if to say, do I really need to tell you? Coz I`m pretty sure you`ve worked it out.

Fixing his eyes on the coffee table in front of him now Combeferre had moved to the side of the sofa with Enjolras, he spoke, his voice so much more subdued than the normally gleeful tone, still unbroken. 

"I was at home and they`d been drinking. Nothing new there. I went into the kitchen to get a drink and left my phone on the table. When I came in I had a text from James. He`d put heart emoji`s, kisses and used the word babe, pretty much everything Mum and Dad needed to tell what kind of context we were talking in. They were both so angry, yelling about how they refused to have an abomination in the house and they only refrained from kicking me out earlier because they thought I was slightly useful for the schemes Dad cooks up. Mum went upstairs and started throwing my stuff out of the window, smashing most of it first, and Dad hit me. He got my nose first and then my chest. I did what Bahorel taught me. I kept my arms up but they didn`t stop him. I got out of there and couldn`t think of anything else I could do so I came here."

The tears he`d managed to keep in check so far then started spilling and the Enjolras moved , taking the position Combeferre had vacted, as Eponine pulled Gavroche up and held him in both of her arms shushing him and stroking his hair.

"What your parents say is wrong. You are no more an abomination than me or anyone else. Who you love does not matter and anyone who says so doesn`t deserve to know you. I promise all of us will do our best to protect you from them and we`d never let you sleep on the streets." The kind words from the orator of their ragtag group of friends seemed to calm the boy down slightly, his tears slowing, until eventually they ceased all together. 

He slowly moved out of his sister`s arms, although he still kept a tight hold of one of her hands and looked around, making eye contact with everyone.

"thank you. I`m sorry. It`s really early you should go back home and sleep"

Courfeyrac`s heart broke at that. Not only had his friend been beaten and thrown out of his home by his own parents but he now felt guilty for waking them up. Knowing Gavroche, Courfeyrac knew that his sense of humor was probably the best way to alleviate any guilt. 

"Nah, it`s cool dude, I always wanted to speed through the streets at three thirty AM, I felt like James Bond". That at least earned a snort from the kid and appreciative smiles from Eponine and Combeferre. 

Eponine spoke next, adressing what should happen now. 

"Ok, we do need sleep but it`s unfair to ask Ferre and Courf to drive home so I reckon I should bring in my matress and if Enjolras brings in his and we use the couch cushions, we should all fit. I call sleep over." 

No one even bothered protesting and half an hour later, Courf had made hot chocolate for everyone, all available soft flat things useable as a matress had been laid on the floor and everyone was bundled up in a nest of blankets and quilts. 

Everyone noticed when Gavroche mumbled a small "Thanks guys" before drifting off, safe between his older sister and his best friend. 

Eponine made eye contact with all of her friends who were there, silently thanking them for helping her and her brother. It wasn`t a perfect situation but they`d get it sorted and for tonight, they were safe, Gavroche had the support he needed and everything else could be worked on tomorrow. 


End file.
